Method and device for recovering materials from a composite body

Abstract

A method and a device for recovering the various materials of a composite body having a restricted circumference as compared with its length, for example, cables; the object of the invention is to provide a possibility of recovering separately the constituents, particularly the metals, so that these metals maintain a high degree of purity and their original properties; the method is characterized by cutting the composite body along at least one transverse plane and at least one longitudinal plane and by subsequently sorting out the portions of materials reduced in size and separated from one another by the cutting operation; the device is characterized by a clipping apparatus for shortening the body into portions, by a splitting apparatus for cutting through each shortened portion at least along the longitudinal plane and by a sorting system, in which a degreasing section may be provided between the clipping section and the sorting section.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of recovering the various materials of a composite body having an outer sheath and a core comprising a plurality of longitudinally coextending discrete sections and a circumference which is restricted as compared with its length, particularly cables, characterized by cutting said body along at least one transverse plane and severing said body longitudinally to cut completely through both said sheath and said core thereby to provide at least two separate portions thereof and by subsequently sorting out the various materials from said portions. 
     
     
       2. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the transverse cut is made prior to the longitudinal severing. 
     
     
       3. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that prior to the longitudinal severing the body is compressed at right angles to the cutting plane to increase the cross-section area through which said longitudinal severing is effected. 
     
     
       4. A method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that said various materials are degreased prior to sorting. 
     
     
       5. A device for recovering the various materials of a composite body such as a cable having a circumference which is restricted as compared with its length, said device comprising in combination, a clipping apparatus for clipping the body into portions, a splitting apparatus for cutting each clipped portion along at least one longitudinal plane, and a sorting system for recovering the various materials, said splitting apparatus comprising a die having means defining a continuous, slot-like opening for receiving each clipped portion of the body and a pushing member adapted to move on one side towards and away from the opening and at least one stationary cutter arranged on the other side and extending throughout the length of the slot-like opening. 
     
     
       6. A device as claimed in claim 5 characterized in that said means comprises a pair of longitudinal walls converging in the direction towards the cutter and defining said slot-like opening therebetween. 
     
     
       7. A device as claimed in claim 5 characterized in that said means comprises a pair of longitudinal walls defining said slot-like opening therebetween, at least one of said longitudinal walls being movable in order to compress a clipped cable portion before said portion is longitudinally cut. 
     
     
       8. A device as claimed in claim 5 provided with a degreasing section, characterized in that the degreasing section is arranged directly after the splitting apparatus. 
     
     
       9. A device as claimed in claim 8 characterized in that the degreasing section comprises at least one bath containing a degreasing liquid and a conveyor rising up out of the bath. 
     
     
       10. A device as claimed in claim 9 characterized in that three degreasing baths are arranged in sequence so that the conveyor of one bath directly transfers the material to be degreased to the next following bath. 
     
     
       11. A device as claimed in claim 10 characterized in that the baths communicate with one another in order to conduct the liquid to a preceding bath. 
     
     
       12. A device as claimed in claim 8 characterized in that the sorting system is provided with a magnetic separator for separating out magnetizable material, for example, iron. 
     
     
       13. A device as claimed in claim 8 characterized in that the sorting system is provided with a sieve section for separating out differently sized portions of material, for example wire-shaped material and plate-shaped material. 
     
     
       14. A device as claimed in claim 13 characterized in that the sieve is formed by a vibratory grating. 
     
     
       15. A device as claimed in claim 13 characterized in that a mechanical separating apparatus, for example a hammer mill, is arranged after the sieve section. 
     
     
       16. A device as claimed in claim 15 characterized in that the outlet of the mechanical separating apparatus communicates with the inlet of the degreasing section. 
     
     
       17. A device as claimed in claim 5 characterized in that the sorting system is provided with a tubular chute, in which an air stream is produced for separating light-weight and heavy materials, for example, paper and metals respectively.